Tag: book

After binge watching The Punisher over the past week, I remembered hearing about this movie that Ben Barnes was in a few years ago and decided to check it out.

THE WORDS was released back in 2012 and stars Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Dennis Quaid, Olivia Wilde, Jeremy Irons and Ben Barnes.

SYNOPSIS: Rory Jansen, a struggling writer, aspires to be the next great literary voice. When he discovers a lost manuscript in a weathered attaché case, he realizes he possesses something extraordinary that he desperately wishes he had created. Rory decides to pass the work off as his own and finally receives the recognition he desperately craves. However, he soon learns that living with his choice will not be as easy as he thought as he faces a moral dilemma that will make him take a hard look at the man he has become.

I actually enjoyed watching this movie. As a writer, I often find myself questioning my own writing abilities. I can’t tell you how many times in a day I sit and ask myself if I’m good enough to pursue this as a career. I’ve read pieces written by others and I wish I had half of the imagination that they had to create such works of art. The truth is that it all depends on who is reading your work. So, that aspect of the movie really intrigued me. I knew how Rory Jansen felt on a personal level.

While there wasn’t any action in this movie, there was heart and relatability. It may not be for everyone – especially those who are unaware of the trials and tribulations that come along with being a writer. It’s not my favorite movie in the world, but I’m happy I was able to watch it.

Bradley Cooper plays Rory Jansen and does a great job! He’s charming and determined to find his place in the literary world, which is definitely not as easy as one might think. I don’t agree with plagiarizing a novel the way that he does, but I don’t think his intention was to actually have the manuscript published. We all find inspiration in the most random of places, so I think Rory was retyping the manuscript in order to find his own inspiration within this story that he fell in love with. When he saw how excited and proud his wife was, he ran with it.

I enjoyed the concept of a story within a story here as well. I don’t know that the point of it all was as cut and dry as I was expecting, but I overlooked that. It was also a bit disappointing that Ben Barnes’s character as the Young Man barely had any lines. His role was instrumental in the telling of the story, but he’s a fabulous, underestimated actor and I wish they would have given the man some more lines! In any case, even with very few lines, he delivers a fantastic performance. One can even argue whether he is the main character of the story.

Perhaps the movie could have made a stronger impact if it had been just a little bit longer. It leaves the audience with so many unanswered questions and I think tying up a few of them might have been more effective.

As I mentioned, this wasn’t my favorite movie, but if you’re a writer I would recommend watching it. If nothing else, just as a reminder that even through all of the rejection letters and silence from literary agencies and magazines, success can be found in the most unexpected places. Also, don’t plagiarize . . . that’s not cool!

Thisfunktional is looking forward to “Fifty Shades Darker” and helping readers gear up with a prize pack giveaway for “Fifty Shades Darker.”

A total of two winners will each get their own “Fifty Shades Darker” prize pack.

Items included in the prize pack are:

(1) FIFTY SHADES DARKER Vanity Bag

(1) FIFTY SHADES DARKER Candle

(1) FIFTY SHADES DARKER Mirror

(1) FIFTY SHADES DARKER Lip Balm

(1) FIFTY SHADES DARKER T-shirt

How to win (Do all for best chance of winning):

Go to Thisfunktional.com and on the bottom of the page sign up for the newsletter by entering your email address, and confirming the email used.

Enter on twitter by showing your excitement for the movie by tweeting @Thisfunktional and using #Thisfunktional and #FiftyShadesDarker. (Must be following @Thisfunktional on Social Media to be able to win.)

Follow @Thisfunktional on instagram and share and tag two friends on a post about this contest. (Easiest way would be to share would be to screenshot this post.)

Disclaimer: 2 winners will be chosen. Contest runs to Feb. 5, 2017 at midnight PST. Winners will be notified on Feb. 5, 2017 by midnightPST with instructions on how to claim your prize. No purchase necessary. Prize provided by ThinkLatino. Only open to the U.S., no PO Boxes or international addresses.

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson return as Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele in “Fifty Shades Darker,” the second chapter based on the worldwide bestselling Fifty Shades phenomenon.

Expanding upon events set in motion in 2015’s blockbuster film that grossed more than $560 million globally, the new installment arrives for Valentine’s Day and invites you to slip into something a shade darker.

When a wounded Christian Grey tries to entice a cautious Ana Steele back into his life, she demands a new arrangement before she will give him another chance.

As the two begin to build trust and find stability, shadowy figures from Christian’s past start to circle the couple, determined to destroy their hopes for a future together.

Also returning from Fifty Shades of Grey are Academy Award® winner Marcia Gay Harden, Jennifer Ehle, Victor Rasuk, Luke Grimes, Rita Ora, Eloise Mumford and Max Martini, who are joined for the first time by Oscar® winner Kim Basinger, Bella Heathcote and Eric Johnson.

“Fifty Shades Darker” is directed by James Foley (Fear, House of Cards) and once again produced by Michael De Luca, Dana Brunetti and Marcus Viscidi, alongside E L James, the creator of the culture-spanning blockbuster series. The screenplay is by Niall Leonard, based on the novel by James.

Studios Developing Series For Both English and Spanish Audiences Based On Best-Selling Book About Latin Superstar’s Love Story

Endemol Shine North America and Major TV have optioned the television rights to Chris Perez’s ToSelena With Love, the best-selling book that tells the late Latin music superstar’s love story through the eyes of her husband.

Endemol Shine and Major TV are adapting ToSelena With Love for both English and Spanish TV audiences with Blue Mariachi, Perez and Carlito Miranda’s production company. Endemol Shine, Major TV and Blue Mariachi are also developing additional culturally-driven scripted and non-scripted content together.

In To Selena With Love, which was first published in 2012 (English and Spanish), Perez recounts for the first time his compelling, forbidden and ultimately tragic love story with one of the most revered Latin music stars, Selena Quintanilla. The TV series will also include details, stories, perspective and insights which were not covered in the book from Perez’s perspective.

Major TV is led by Raymond Garcia, formerly publisher and founder of Celebra at Penguin Random House, where he published numerous best-sellers with top authors such as Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, and Perez, author of ToSelena With Love.

“I spent several years keeping the memories of my late wife bottled up inside,” says Perez. “To Selena with Love allowed me to finally embrace my experience and understand the void it could fill in the hearts of so many others. I am now ready to take the important step of being fully transparent and bringing my everlasting relationship to life on the screen.”

“Selena is one of the most influential Latin artists of all time and her legacy continues to live on long after her tragic death,” says Endemol Shine North America CEO and Endemol Shine Americas Chairman Cris Abrego. “Chris Perez’s beautiful book To Selena With Love captured their amazing life together and will make for the perfect foundation for a TV series that our team is currently developing for both English and Spanish audiences worldwide.”

Added Major TV’s Garcia, “I could not be more honored and humbled to launch Major TV with Endemol Shine and the captivating love story of the legendary Selena Quintanilla and Chris Perez. Having published To Selena with Love, I witnessed legions of fans moved to tears with a rare glimpse into the heart and soul of their eternal icon. I am very proud of Chris for sharing his deeply personal relationship for the first time on television.”

Grammy Award-winner Selena Quintanilla is one of the most influential Latin artists of all time, having sold 60 million albums world wide. The Texas-born singer made her recording debut in the ’80s, going on to become an award-winning recording artist in the Latin music scene with albums like Amor Prohibido and Selena Live. In 1995, she was tragically murdered by the founder of her fan club. Her last album, Dreaming of You, was released posthumously in 1995 and became a huge hit. Selena’s life story was the subject of a 1997 film, Selena, which starred Jennifer Lopez in her career-propelling role as the Tejano superstar and James Edward Olmos as her father.

Hey movie fans!! Here’s your first look at Tim Burton’s “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children!” This is the film adaptation of the novel (of the same name) by Ransom Riggs. I’m curious to see this one after having read the book.

I admit to judging the book by its cover and expecting something a bit more creepy than what it actually was, but I think this is a good story nonetheless.

So check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be checking this one out when it’s released in theaters September 30th!

You’ve probably heard about Harry Potter & the Cursed Child becoming a play over in London, and if you’re anything like me, you’re probably disappointed that the chances of you catching that play are slim to none!

Never fear! Scholastic has revealed that they are releasing the script for the play in book form! The book is set for release on July 31, 2016…which is Harry Potter’s birthday! Clever, clever folks they are. The book will also be released as an eBook that will be published over on Pottermore.